We went to Mike‘s BBQ on Star Wars Bank Holiday Monday and had a very pleasant time. We particularly enjoyed watching all the other guests run around after their small-to-medium sized children, whilst we just reminisced about how that used to be for us.

I was chastised for not updating this blog, but that’s only by and compared to Mike – and he’s obsessive. Or rather, he used to be; it’s gone a bit quiet there lately what with the new job and all…

Afterwards we went into town to see “Låt den rätte komma in”, a Swedish coming-of-age vampire love story. See it now before the ‘merkins remake it. Which I will brand “fail” now.

Not fail according to early reviews, and a film I am very much looking forward to, is “Star Trek”. I’ve been a fan forever – the first two colour TV programmes I saw were episodes of Star Trek (now Star Trek: TOS): a small snatch on the bar telly at my Great Uncle Ron’s pub (before it opened) and a whole episode at my friend Andrew’s house when I was at Sunny Bank Primary School.

The observant may have noticed the new book widget – I was too lazy to update the hand-crafted Javascript version (and nobody used my Amazon Affiliates links to buy a single book), so I have out-sourced my book reading list maintenance to Good Reads.

Also, I did get a reply to my complaint at the BBC – but as it was privately sent to me I don’t feel I can publish it. It was very bland, and as Wossy is back on the TV tonight anyway, inevitably uncontroversial. I have been following Jonathon Ross’s Twitter updates to keep me amused during his enforced absence.

I would like to complain about the cancellation of one of the few BBC programmes which I (used to) watch every week, particularly this episode which was to have featured The Killers. I don’t listen to Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show, and I don’t read the Mail on Sunday, so I am completely unconcerned about the manufactured outrage which has led to this curtailment of my enjoyment.

“Matt here from BBC Look East. Can we use your pictures of the Cottenham field fire for a piece we’re doing tonight on the field fires which hit the region over July? If so, could you call me on 555 953 852?”

So I rang him, he explained that the piece would be on that evening, concentrating on the financial effects on farmers and insurers, and they wanted some background shots of the fires. Could they use my video if they gave me credit?

Of course I gave permission, but I fully expected the item to be dropped if a cat got stuck up a tree or something. But they ran it – and they used my video for the local trail during the 6 o’clock news, at the head of the programme and in the article itself with the voice over announcing “these pictures taken by Derek Law in Cottenham”.